Print

Vegan Lemon Cake With Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.9 from 144 reviews

This Vegan Lemon Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting is a delightful plant-based dessert bursting with fresh lemon flavor. Moist and tender vegan lemon cake layers are filled and frosted with a tangy lemon cream cheese frosting and zesty homemade lemon curd, creating a perfectly balanced treat for any occasion. The cake is dairy-free, egg-free, and uses vegan substitutes making it suitable for those following a vegan diet.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Vegan Lemon Cake

  • 360 g all-purpose flour
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 240 ml soy milk
  • 80 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 300 g granulated sugar
  • 4 tablespoons lemon zest
  • 115 g vegan butter, softened
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 180 g vegan Greek-style yogurt or vegan sour cream

For the Vegan Lemon Curd (½ batch, room temperature)

  • Use homemade lemon curd as per note or recipe (quantity assumed as half batch from original)

For the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 200 g vegan butter, softened
  • 200 g vegan cream cheese, room temperature
  • 60 g powdered sugar
  • Approximately 200 g lemon curd (around 2/3 of half batch)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Oven and Pans: Preheat your oven to fan-forced 160°C/320°F or conventional 180°C/356°F. Line the base of two 8-inch cake tins with parchment paper and grease the sides well using oil or vegan butter to prevent sticking.
  2. Combine Dry Ingredients: Sift the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt into a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine evenly and set aside for layering later.
  3. Make Vegan Buttermilk: In a jug, mix the soy milk and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Set this aside to curdle, creating a vegan buttermilk substitute that enhances cake moisture and tenderness.
  4. Flavor the Sugar: Add granulated sugar and lemon zest to the bowl of your stand mixer or a large mixing bowl if using a handheld electric whisk. Use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar until the sugar feels slightly wet and fragrant.
  5. Cream Butter and Sugar: Add the softened vegan butter to the sugar mixture. Beat using an electric whisk or the paddle attachment of your stand mixer for 1-2 minutes until well combined and creamy.
  6. Add Vanilla and Yogurt: Incorporate the vanilla extract and vegan Greek-style yogurt or sour cream into the butter mixture in 2-3 parts, mixing well after each addition. The mixture may appear slightly split, but this is expected.
  7. Make the Cake Batter: Add about one-third of the dry ingredients and one-third of the vegan buttermilk mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix gently until combined. Repeat twice more with the remaining dry ingredients and buttermilk, mixing just until no flour pockets remain to avoid overmixing.
  8. Bake the Cake Layers: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake tins. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a skewer or toothpick into the center; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  9. Cool the Cakes: Allow the cakes to cool in their tins for 10 minutes. Then carefully invert them onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Peel off the parchment paper once cooled.
  10. Prepare the Lemon Curd: If not already done, make the vegan lemon curd and let it cool to room temperature. If pre-made and refrigerated, remove at least an hour in advance and whisk it smooth before use.
  11. Make Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting: Using a stand mixer or hand whisk, beat the softened vegan butter and room temperature vegan cream cheese until light and fluffy.
  12. Add Lemon Curd to Frosting: Slowly add approximately 200 g of the lemon curd (about 2/3 of the half batch) to the butter and cream cheese mixture. Whisk until fully incorporated and smooth.
  13. Add Powdered Sugar: Gradually add the powdered sugar to the mixture while whisking, until smooth and combined.
  14. Assemble the Cake: Place one cooled cake layer on a turntable or serving plate. Spread about one-third of the frosting evenly over the top with an offset spatula.
  15. Add Lemon Filling: Pipe a ring of frosting around the cake edge to create a dam, then spoon or pipe the remaining lemon curd inside this ring. Smooth gently with spatula.
  16. Add Second Cake Layer and Frost Entire Cake: Position the second cake layer on top. Use the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake. Smooth the frosting using a cake scraper or spatula for a neat finish.
  17. Garnish: Decorate the cake with fresh mint leaves, edible daisies, and lemon segments as a beautiful finishing touch.

Notes

  • Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for best flavor in both the cake and lemon curd.
  • Vegan butter and cream cheese should be softened or at room temperature for easier mixing and better texture.
  • Lemon zest rubbed into sugar intensifies the citrus aroma and flavor throughout the cake.
  • If making lemon curd from scratch, prepare ahead as it needs to cool before incorporating into the frosting.
  • You can substitute soy milk with other plant-based milks with similar consistency if preferred.
  • Allow the cake layers to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting or sliding.

Keywords: Vegan Lemon Cake, Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting, Dairy-Free Cake, Egg-Free Cake, Vegan Dessert, Lemon Curd Cake

Find it online: https://reemcook.com/vegan-lemon-cake-with-lemon-cream-cheese-frosting-recipe/